Could it be that Hagel;

[greiner3]

Is one of the 3-4 closeted gays in Congress that are supposedly being contacted by Mike Rogers, the Gay Blogger? It would explain his abrupt decisions. If it is, then there is one less hypocrite in the Legislative branch.

[Ken Burch]

1. Well, let's see...

Can anybody check how often Hegel had flights with layovers in Minneapolis over the last few years?

And does HE have a wide stance as well?

[illinoisprogressive]

2. nah. been happily married and not in the closet. I think he is just fed up.

He hates this war and hates what has become of his party.
hagel is a businessman from NEb. Was probably more a Reagan Republican and is tired of the idiots and the way they are acting the past few years. All spin and wedge issues and making kids die in an unjust war just for politics.
His brother is a democrat. a real democrat.

[hlthe2b]

3. agree... He's not part of the "unveiling"

[Netbeavis]

8. I think he is looking for a cabinet position in the next White House

he is respected by both parties and a safe choice for nomination.

[mod mom]

12. agre. He served and has respect for the troops.

[TwilightZone]

4. His decisions certainly haven't been "abrupt".

He takes longer to make decisions than just about anyone I've ever seen.

[TwilightGardener]

5. You know, I could never suspect him of being gay, I don't know why--

No gaydar pings from him. I guess he never made a big show of family values/fundie stuff, although he is a social conservative. I watched part of his press conference this am on local TV, and caught a rare sighting of his wife and daughter and son--he kissed his wife and daughter at the end of the presser--handsome-looking family. Of course, Larry Craig also has a wife and step-kids--guess that doesn't mean much!

[Blue_In_AK]

6. I thought I read somewhere

that he had self-imposed term limits, that he had promised his constituents he would only stay for a little while. :shrug:

[TwilightGardener]

11. He promised to only serve two terms--but then, so do a lot of Senators.

They don't usually honor it. I think that kind of power is hard to give up voluntarily.

[saltpoint]

7. IMO, Chuck Hagel saw that his party is going to lose, not gain, seats in the

111th congress. Whatever initiatives he thought he might construct and advance are going to be blocked and swatted away by much more liberal Democratic colleagues. His legislative path is obscured and he can't wait around for it to clear.

Even if he wanted to, he faces stiff competition in his primary and might lose badly.

On Iraq, he's far more evolved than his colleagues in the Republican Party and has shown more clarity and guts. I'm less impressed with him on most other issues, though, and the voting machine association is not a plus.

He's more politically viable as an independent and more wealthy as a private sector guy.

I think he thinks it's time to move on.

[ISUGRADIA]

9. Abrupt if you haven't been paying attention to what he's been

doing the last year

[Turner Ashby]

10. I think he might be going independent

He has always said he wouldn't run as a Republican. Well, it wouldn't be as a Republican.